1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector structure having a mechanism member for mutually engaging multi-polar male and female connectors with each other and a method of assembling the male and female connectors to each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that the use of a mechanism member for drawing one connector into another connector is one way in view of improving the operability in engaging the multi-polar connectors having many terminals with each other. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (kokai) No. 6-267610 and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (kokai) No. 6-5148 discloses the conventional connector structures adopting the mechanism member.
In the former publication, there is shown a mechanism member of a general U-shaped cross section, which is provided, on upper and lower opposing faces thereof, with a plurality of cam grooves and attachment ribs. According to the disclosed structure, it is possible to assemble the above mechanism member to a male connector by sliding the member with respect to the male connector while respectively inserting the attachment ribs into grooves formed on top and bottom faces of the male connector.
While, a female connector shown in the publication has a plurality of terminals partially drawn out of a body of the female connector. The terminals are soldered to a printed board, so that the installation of the female connector on the board can be completed. In assembling, the male connector equipped with the mechanism member is temporary engaged with the female connector on the printed board and thereafter, the mechanism member 60 is slid in the longitudinal direction of the male connector 64. In this way, with the respective engagement of cam projections on the female connector with the cam grooves of the mechanism member, the male connector is fitted into the female connector.
In the latter publication, a female connector is provided, at the interior of a housing thereof, with upper and lower accommodation spaces into which a mechanism member is to be inserted. Similarly to the former publication, the mechanism member has a general U-shaped cross section and is provided, in opposing faces thereof, with cam grooves formed. In order to assemble the female connector to a male connector, the opposing faces of the mechanism member are inserted into the accommodation spaces through the side face of the female connector, so that the mechanism member is assembled to the female connector temporarily.
After assembling of the mechanism member, the female connector is integrated with a printed board by soldering terminals drawn out of the female connector to the printed board. On installation of the female connector on the printed board, the male connector is fitted to a front opening of the female connector temporarily. Subsequently, the depression of the mechanism member into the female connector in the lateral direction allows the mechanism member to draw the male connector, whereby the female connector and the male connector can be fitted to each other.
In common with the above-mentioned conventional structures, however, it is necessary that the connector being assembled to the mechanism member has a wide portion overlapping with the mechanism member due to the arrangement where the whole mechanism member is to be overlapped with the connector, thereby causing a depth of the connector to be lengthened. Furthermore, due to a large sliding area of the mechanism member with the connector, there is a problem of large sliding resistance, so that the smooth sliding of the mechanism member is obstructed.
In addition, there is a possibility that due to the structure where the connector is integrated with the printed board by soldering the terminals, the connector housing and the mechanism member are deformed by heat at the time of soldering. In such a case, the deformation may cause the sliding resistance in fitting to be increased, thereby causing the difficulty in fitting the male and female connectors to each other.